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Are There Risks With A Colonoscopy?

Are There Risks With A Colonoscopy?

December 29, 2021
Ray Scott Daugherty, MD
Ray Scott Daugherty, MD

Colon and Rectal Surgery

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Transcript

 

With regards to colonoscopy, there are a few risks. The main risk would be bleeding after a polyp removal. It could just be a slight amount of bleeding, but there is the risk of a more significant bleed, which is oftentimes treated with another colonoscopy.

 

Bigger risks would be potentially a hole in your colon. However, this is very rare and maybe one in a hundred thousand chance of that happening. Oftentimes this can be treated non-operatively. Occasionally we do have to treat this operatively and oftentimes it does not require a colostomy.

 

Key Takeaways

1. The main risk in a colonoscopy would be bleeding after a polyp removal.

2. It could just be a slight amount of bleeding, but there is the risk of a more significant bleed, which is oftentimes treated with another colonoscopy.

3. Bigger risks would be potentially a hole in your colon. However, this is very rare and maybe one in a hundred thousand chance of that happening.